At the end of the day, each of us need to make a choice. Go with Apple and land in their walled garden and everything that comes with that. Choose Android with any OEM and bend over to Google AND the OEM. Get a pixel and bend over to Google (or nuke Pixel stock and install GOS, CalyxOS or whatever rocks your boat). Go the dumb phone way and only bend over to the carriers. Too many factors influence this, not just philosophy, taste or choice. Some people genuinely need a phone that will work with banks or cards, others can live without. Others, as is my case, can separate their life into 2 devices, I have a pixel 8 pro that I use exclusively for work on stock pixel, and a GOS pixel 10 Pro XL for my personal life.
This technological life is a fucking mixed bag for sure.